Technology has been known to come up with new appliances and services to our lives. The internet was one of the aspects that technology introduced. Part of the internet involves online platforms and which involves social media.
Social media is an interactive technology that enables its users to share ideas, information, media, and thoughts by creating virtual communities and networks. You have to create a personalized profile or user-generated content for you to be part of the platform. You can get the desired engagements with the help of subscriberz.
People mainly use it to communicate with other people across the world. Social media can be beneficial to you in various ways. You can use it to be influential and promote your business. Alternatively, you can become famous from it and gain more followers.
Some people have used social media and have gained benefits from it. However, some have met the negative aspects of it. Sometimes people even take a break from social media because of how much it has negatively affected them.
Let’s get to know some of the reasons why social media has attracted more bad than good in our lives;
Gaining Followers
Social media is a good platform to use. However, you have to have so many followers, views and likes on your posts for you to be influential. It is challenging to gain many followers. Thus, some people have to go for the option of buying followers and likes.
Some people are even verified on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. In this aspect, social media is negative because not everyone can afford to buy those packages.
Therefore, some people end up dealing with depression and low self-esteem issues. Sometimes they even prefer not using the platform because they cannot bear the pain of not getting one like on their posts.
Deceiving Posts
Not everyone on social media is honest about themselves. Some people live fake lives and post things that are not real. It becomes negative when they start deceiving their followers and viewers. Some images are edited, and those who have a dark completion tend to look brown.
Such stories have been posted online about people who went out to meet after chatting on social media. The person then turns out to be different from the pictures they post. It is also negative because some viewers may hate how they look because they consider others to be prettier.
Some are even envious of their friend’s posts when they upload pictures of how they live their dream. Only a few will realize that the image is photoshopped or the property is hired for that shoot.
Cyberbullying on Social Media
This aspect is very negative in our lives. Some people bring more harm than good on these social media platforms. It is because you can post a picture innocently, but someone else will comment very negatively.
Some comments lead to bullying because others will also start commenting. Some people are even trolled on these social media platforms by strangers who are only after ruining their lives. Most celebrities experience cyberbullying on their platforms from fans who hate them for no apparent reason.
Some cyberbullying cases have made young people fall into depression. In worst cases, others end up committing suicide at a very young age. Some organizations and foundations have created a helpline to help those who are suffering from cyberbullying.
Sometimes people do not even realize that they are undergoing bullying on social media. It can be in various forms, such as hateful comments, hurtful rumors that may not be true, abuse, and lies about you. People would be ready to ask for help if they happen to go through such things.
Theft on Social Media
Some people are after making illegal money. Social media is one of those platforms that they use for their activities. They can open a page then start posting good clothes and shoes for people to buy.
There are good companies that sell their products online and use social media to advertise themselves. However, not every person is legit. Others end up stealing from their customers. Also, there are some groups created on social media that are famous for such activities.
Others sell drugs that are not legalized in their current states. There are some cases where people end up dying after using those drugs.
Time Lost
A lot of time is spent on social media platforms. Students end up concentrating or chatting and posting on social media compared to studying. The same case is also to employees. They put more attention on their phones and end up giving a poor performance in their work area.
Also, they may not be attentive to what their customers are saying. A lot of time is lost on social media that could have been used to do something more constructive.
Final Thoughts
Social media is a good platform to build your business and brand. However, other negative factors have ended up ruining our lives. People should be aware of these facts and avoid being involved in them.
Ingrid Maldine is a business writer, editor and management consultant with extensive experience writing and consulting for both start-ups and long established companies. She has ten years management and leadership experience gained at BSkyB in London and Viva Travel Guides in Quito, Ecuador, giving her a depth of insight into innovation in international business. With an MBA from the University of Hull and many years of experience running her own business consultancy, Ingrid’s background allows her to connect with a diverse range of clients, including cutting edge technology and web-based start-ups but also multinationals in need of assistance. Ingrid has played a defining role in shaping organizational strategy for a wide range of different organizations, including for-profit, NGOs and charities. Ingrid has also served on the Board of Directors for the South American Explorers Club in Quito, Ecuador.
